Parliament of Ukraine, Kyiv
16-17 November 2018

On 16-17 November 2018, the 10th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court and the Rule of Law (CAP-ICC) and 40th Annual Forum of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) was held in the Parliament of Ukraine in Kyiv. Among the 200 participants in attendance, there were 77 members of parliament from 38 countries around the world; ICC officials, including H.E. Mr. O-Gon Kwon, President of the Assembly of States Parties, H.E. Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Vice-President of the ICC, and Mr. Amady Bâ, Head of the International Cooperation Unit at the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the ICC; State representatives; and members of international organizations, civil society and experts.

The two-day international conference enabled the panelists and the audience to exchange critical and constructive viewpoints on the Rome Statute system and debate about the particular situations of alleged commission of international crimes potentially falling under the jurisdiction of the ICC. One of the many highlights of the event was the statement of PGA member Hon. Kula Segaran, a leading Parliamentarian and Minister from Malaysia who announced the imminent accession of the country to the Rome Statute. Honoring the name of our organization, the event finalized with the adoption of the Kyiv Plan of Action, through which the parliamentarians in attendance committed themselves to take steps towards the universality and effectiveness of the Rome Statute system of the ICC in their respective jurisdictions.

The CAP-ICC is the only high-level global gathering of political leaders focused solely on international justice and the Rule of Law. Since 2002, its meetings have represented a unique opportunity for Lawmakers from all regions of the world to discuss and define strategies towards reinforcing international and domestic criminal justice and the prevention of the most serious crimes of concern to the International Community as a whole, i.e. genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression, while promoting the rights of victims and of the accused. Past deliberations of the CAP-ICC subsequently informed and inspired initiatives of several hundred Lawmakers which led, as of today, to the ratification of the Rome Statute by 77 out the current 123 States Parties and to the domestic implementation by 36 States.

PGA has actively engaged with Ukrainian Lawmakers since 2003, supporting domestic reforms to strengthen justice, protect human rights and enhance international cooperation and peace. Since 2014, PGA reinforced its action for human rights and democracy in Ukraine: Members of the PGA Ukraine multi-party National Group mobilized in support of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Considering that the ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC is included in the Association Agreement and that it may become achievable after the entry into effect of a relevant constitutional reform in the II half of 2019, we consider that organizing the 10th CAP-ICC at the end of 2018 created a significant momentum to advance ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute, as envisaged in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement ratified in 2014.

The year 2018, marking the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the ICC, offered a unique occasion to discuss challenges faced by Parliamentarians in attaining a universal system of justice at domestic, regional and international level centered on the Rome Statute, while understanding the independent mandate fulfilled by ICC judicial organs. The vision of the CAP-ICC, consisting of creating and sustaining a global parliamentary constituency for the Rome Statute system, is shared by the institutional partners of PGA, namely Denmark, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Oak Foundation, as well as the European Commission under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).